Well I didn’t quite make it all the way to Madang.

Lae

Downtown Lae. Photo from Ericksons

1962 August 19, Willa
Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Malalo Mission station to Martin and sister Willa Tonn, Alexandria

Dear Willa, Martin and family,

Well I didn’t quite make it all the way to Madang. Our boat broke down so I wasn’t able to make it to Lae in time to make my plane to Madang. So now I’m seeing a doctor here in Lae. Al went back home again so he and our short term teacher Phyllis are holding down the fort.
Sounds like you have really been having a busy summer. Makes me lonesome. Greet everyone from us. I know how lonesome Martin[1] must be for his family, but it is a wonderful time for all of the grandparents to enjoy his family. You will have to keep me informed of further developments. Job? House? Etc. I’ve been wondering about Bette and Claude’s.[2] I haven’t heard from any of them for quite a spell.
I went to church last night and was it ever wonderful to sing and hear so many others singing and to understand what I saying. To sing through the liturgy in English and to hear a sermon in English. I said I still don’t know enough Jabem to know what they are talking about. So to visit with several people after church was so refreshing. I felt so exhilarated after church. [3]

 Al made Tommy a potty chair, and has that ever helped. I can get him on it now for his morning business. Paula will use it most of the time. She tells me most of the time and can hold it while we go downtown or to the doctors office.

We are concerned about the decision of the Dutch to let Indonesia have western New Guinea. There goes their hope of being independent. I’m sure as soon as they can get settled in, they will be demanding eastern New Guinea as well. They have no more right to any of New Guinea than the man in the moon. The Indonesian people are a different race all together. It sure is another victor for Russia as the whole thing was backed up by them. Their own people are starving from miss management of government friends. And the Dutch have been pouring millions of dollars into New Guinea and not getting anything back. I don’t know what Indonesian will do, except take their land.
We all have to get smallpox vaccinations now as the government fears of an epidemic with all the influx of Indonesians. Boy, I will surely be puzzled to know what is going to happen to our part. I’m quite sure we don’t need to plan on a second term here. Do pray that the Holy Spirit might awaken the people while they still have the chance. Pray too, for more workers while the doors are still open. I don’t think we are in any physical danger. I’d be real surprised if the actual Indonesian’s take over. There are numerous new Guineans who are ready to take it to the hills for Guerrilla warfare. Some from this side have vowed to help them. Black and white. So we shall see what we shall see.
Love Al, Ina and the kids.

Footnotes:

[1] Martin Tonn stayed in Minneapolis at 3M company for a time while his family lived in Alexandria/Carlos

[2] Bette is Ina’s cousin who was the same age in the same town. They grew up together and where in the same class at school and Sunday school. they went to camp together and prom together. Claude and Lois where Bette’s parents and Ina’s uncle and aunt.

[3] Ina would have attend St Andrews Church located in Ampo Lae. Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG (ELCPNG) headquarters at Ampo, Lae

St Andrews church at Ampo, Lae. Ampo is the Lutheran Church of PNG headquarters.

St Andrews Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea Headquarters- Ampo. Photo taken February 2014.

Uncle Claude and Lois. Sister Willa and brother- in-law Martin.

Ina and Bette -prom

Sister Beryl, Bette in Claudes uniform and Ina.

1962 August 21 to Beryl

Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Malalo Mission station to Beryl and Bruce 2314 So 7th St. Minneapolis 6, Minnesota, USA

Dear Beryl and Bruce,

Well we’re eagerly awaiting news so be sure to write us right away. We have access to a projector and a small screen. We really are looking for pictures of baby Westphal. I’m sure glad you feel real well. Both of mine were low enough so I didn’t have any trouble breathing.

Now that our boat (the Victor)is out of commission for a while, I certainly hope we don’t have any emergencies. The day before it stopped, we had a man come to us with a strangulated hernia. He had it 24 hours before he came up so was starting to become distended. I tried to reduce it but he was just having too much pain. We sent him to Lae right away to the government hospital and they did do surgery right away. One of our teachers wives was due a couple of weeks ago. You can’t establish a very exact due date as they don’t always remember their last period. Our doctor boy told me she had such a hard time before, so that we would have to rush or too late for forceps delivery. I had made arrangements to send her to the Mission Hospital further down the coast on a boat that runs about once a month. And then she refused to go. She would not go to Lae either. I didn’t know what to do with her except maybe drag her to a hospital. Then when the Victor broke down there would be no way to get her away from here. She would just have to labor until she died of exhaustion. I laid it on the line to her husband and told him I washed my hands of it. If she wanted to sit here and die she could. When he tried to talk her into going to Lae to wait until the baby came, she told him he was just trying to cast her off like a dog. He wondered if he could stay with her until the baby was born. We readily agreed that our short term teacher could teach his class until he could come back. So then when a boat came to tow the Victor to Lae, she went in on Thursday. Saturday she went into labor. I talked to them afterwards and they said it was a breech presentation and oversized baby- 8 pounds something. The normal size babies here are between five and 6 pounds. So she actually would have died if she hadn’t been in the hospital. I almost fainted, literally, when I heard all that as I’d almost let her stay at Malalo.

I have Tommy on a no carbohydrate diet, no bread, cereal, potatoes, bananas, rice etc. to see if he can get rid of his big bulky stools and no weight gain. I guess he’s allergic to something and I have to stay in Lae for another week while we experiment with his diet. I hope all goes well at Malalo.
I’m glad you have everything you need for your baby. It sure is fun planning and sure is exciting to have them. You still haven’t told me if you thought of any names yet? How wonderful that Bruce enjoys preaching etc. Sounds like he has found his right calling. Sounds like he’s been getting a lot of good experience. Thank you for your letters. We sure look forward to them. Write again. Have a nice safe delivery.

Love Al, Ina and the kids.